Title
Phoenix Public Library's Request to Apply, Accept, Enter into an Agreement and Expend Arizona's First Things First Funds in Support of Ongoing Early Literacy Outreach Programs (Ordinance S-44444)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply, accept, and enter an agreement on behalf of the Phoenix Public Library to apply for, accept, enter into an agreement and expend funds up to the amount of $2.2 million (beginning FY 2018-2019, to be disbursed annually over a four-year period), to be used to fund ongoing Phoenix Public Library's Early Literacy Outreach partnership program with Arizona's First Things First. Further authorize the City Controller to disburse the funds for purposes of this item.
Report
Summary
Phoenix Public Library (PPL) has maintained a productive partnership and received grant funding ($375,000 annually) from Arizona's First Things First (FTF) Phoenix North Regional Council for parent outreach and early literacy education since 2009. In November 2017, both FTF Phoenix North and South Regional Councils voted to fund PPL in a new four-year grant cycle beginning July 1, 2018. Each year, $400,000 will be dedicated to maintain (and marginally expand) PPL's Early Literacy Outreach Team (ELOT) in FTF's Phoenix North Regional Council, and $150,000 will be allocated to bring ELOT programs throughout south Phoenix. The combined annual First Things First funding will be in the amount of $550,000, with a $2.2 million total over the four-year grant cycle. An updated intergovernmental agreement is expected to be completed in April.
PPL/FTF outreach workshops for parents and caregivers focus on strategies to help children get ready to read by kindergarten. Hands-on workshops, such as Storytimes, guide parents and caregivers in assisting children with critical pre-literacy skills such as letter knowledge, print awareness, developing a rich vocabulary and comprehension. In addition, when visiting neighborhood events and organizations, library staff present parents with a coupon that can be redeemed at any PPL location for a free children's book, further encouraging families to regularly visit the library and begin building a book collection for the home. In FY 2016-2017 PPL/FTF's Early Literacy Outreach team provided 2,390 workshops and events, serving more than 24,000 adults, and distributing more than 8,000 books at locations such as Deer Valley Community Center, School for the Blind, Vista Colina Family Shelter, low-income Section 8 apartment complexes, and numerous Head Start classrooms and child care centers.
These programs conducted by Phoenix Public Library's Early Literacy Outreach Team are part of PHXAchieves, which focuses on increasing early literacy, math proficiency, high school completion, and college and career readiness by implementing quality programs that prepare students and families for success.
Financial Impact
The amount of the grant, up to $2.2 million, will be expended over a four-year grant cycle ($550,000 annually) beginning in FY 2018-2019 and no matching funds are required.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was recommended for approval by the Parks, Arts, Education and Equality Subcommittee at the March 14, 2018 meeting by a vote of 4-0.
Location
The Phoenix Public Library-First Things First ongoing Early Literacy Outreach program will be expanded to be available citywide.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Deanna Jonovich and the Library Department.